Photo courtesy of Department of Agriculture Bicol
QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The Department of Agriculture has issued an advisory enumerating measures to brace farming communities feared to be impacted by Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Leon (international name Kong-rey).
On Monday, Oct. 28, the DA ordered the following measures to concern agencies and farming communities:
• activation of the regional disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) operation centers;
• continuous dissemination of advisories to the LGUs and farmer leaders, requiring them to disseminate the same information down to the communities;
• coordination with other national and regional DRRM-related offices, as well as local counterparts, in monitoring the possible impact of STS Leon;
• positioning of seeds for rice, corn, and high-value crops as well as drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry in safe storage facilities; and
• mobilization of KADIWA trucks as logistical assistance in transporting agricultural commodities.
In its weather advisory issued at 5 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, state weather bureau PAGASA said that the center of Leon was estimated at 645 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.
It was moving west-northwestward at 10 kph with strong to storm-force winds that extend outwards up to 640 km from the center.
“This tropical cyclone is expected to rapidly intensify throughout its passage over the Philippine Sea and may reach the typhoon category within the next 12 hours,” PAGASA said.
“Furthermore, there is an increasing chance that Leon will reach the super typhoon category during its period of closest approach to Batanes.”
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 is up over the following 23 areas:
Luzon
• Batanes
• Cagayan, including the Babuyan Islands
• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Abra
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Aurora
• northern portion of Quezon, including the Polillo Islands (General Nakar, Infanta, and Real)
• Camarines Norte
• eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, Lagonoy, San Jose, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Presentacion, Tigaon, Calabanga, and Saglay)
• Catanduanes
• eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Tiwi, Malilipot, Malinao, Santo Domingo, and Manito)
• northeastern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, City of Sorsogon, and Gubat)
Visayas
• eastern portion of Northern Samar (San Roque, Pambujan, Catubig, Laoang, Palapag, Gamay, Lapinig, Mapanas, and Mondragon)
• northern portion of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Arteche, Oras, and San Policarpo)
PAGASA said the Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes will have rains with gusty winds due to Severe Tropical Storm Leon with the possibility that flash floods or landslides will occur due to heavy to intense rains. Minor to moderate threat to lives and properties due to strong winds.
Ilocos Region, rest of Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Northern Samar, and Zamboanga del Norte will have cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the Trough of Severe Tropical Storm Leon, with the possibility that flash floods or landslides will occur due to moderate to at times heavy rains.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms, with the possibility that flash floods or landslides will occur due to severe thunderstorms.
Central Luzon and the eastern section of Southern Luzon will experience moderate to strong wind speed moving in the northwest to west direction, while coastal waters will be moderate to rough.
The rest of the country will experience moderate to strong wind speed moving in the west to southwest direction with moderate to rough coastal waters.
Severe Tropical Storm Leon is forecast to move generally west-northwestward this Tuesday, then turn northwestward on Wednesday until it makes landfall along the eastern coast of Taiwan on Thursday afternoon or evening.
“After crossing the landmass of Taiwan, Leon will then turn northward to north northeastward towards the East China Sea and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday evening or early Friday morning,” PAGASA said. (PIA DMD)
